9th (Glasgow Highlanders) Battalion,
Highland Light Infantry

died 25th February 1915

aged 26

Son of James Barr and Mary TrainRockcliff, Bridge of Weir

His Life

Brothers Fred, Lyle and Speirs Barr were all killed in World War I. They were sons of James Barr, founder of the successful Glasgow business of James Barr and Son, Chartered Surveyors.

Frederic Train Barr was born on 29th May 1888 at 53 Hamilton Drive, Hillhead, Glasgow, the fifth of eight children of James Barr from Glasgow and Mary Train from Ardrossan, Ayrshire who had married in Greenock on 30th April 1879.

In 1881, James (36), a civil engineer, and Mary (29) were living in Partick, Glasgow with their first child, Mary W, domestic servant Catherine Bankier, and nurse Jane Quintell.

In 1891, the Barr family of eight was living in 53 Hamilton Drive, Kelvinside. James senior was a Civil Engineering Surveyor and Valuator running his own business. Murdina Morrison was the domestic servant and Jessie Smith, nurse.

In 1901, the family, now of ten, was still in Hamilton Drive. They had two servants, Jane McLeod and Elizabeth Allan.

Fred, Lyle and Speirs Barr all attended Glasgow Academy.

By 1911 the family had moved to Rockcliff in Kilbarchan Road, Bridge of Weir. James senior had died on 28th July 1910, and the oldest son James (26) a valuator, was now head of the household. Fred (22) was a marine engineer, Robert was an apprentice measurer's valuator and Speirs was an apprentice to an iron and steel merchant. Mary, Janet and Lyle were no longer in the family home. A female student named Dunn from Earlston, Berwickshire, was visiting. Effie Nicolson was the cook, and Bessie McNeil the domestic servant.

Fred Barr served his apprenticeship with Bow, McLachlan & Co. marine engineers and shipbuilders, and then joined Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., (now BAe Systems, Govan yard) when he volunteered for active service on 7th September 1914. He was enlisted into C Company of the 9th Battalion (Glasgow Highlanders) of the HLI. He left for the front in France before 22nd November 1914 and qualified for the 1914 Star. He was killed in action at Cuinchy, a few miles east of Bethune, France on 25th February 1915, the first of the three Barr brothers to fall. The battalion war diaries do not list any casualties that day, but on the following day, 26th February, 7 casualties of shelling are noted, with others slightly injured by falling bricks. One newspaper report has Fred killed by the collapse of a wall. Perhaps he was an indirect casualty of a shell that triggered building damage.

In his will, Fred had named Anna Brown, Cruachan, Bridge of Weir - 23 years old in 1915 - as his executrix. She was the cousin of George William Fisher, also killed in the war.

Mary Barr, mother of the Barr boys, was very involved in raising money for the war effort. Already a widow before the war, she died at Rockcliff on 6th September 1918 aged 66. She didn't live to see the war end.

24 February 1915: billets/front line fatigues at Pont Tournant, (near Locon, north of Bethune):ORCHARD FARM was shelled rather heavily today. Our Companies have done a great deal of work in the advanced trenches, which are now in a far more efficient state than when we took them over.

25 February 1915: billets/front line fatigues at Pont TournantSituation as usual.

26 February 1915: billets/front line fatigues at Pont TournantThere was considerable shelling of our advanced billets at PONT FIXE today, which caused 7 casualties, besides which a number of men were slightly injured by falling bricks. The company at PONT FIXE was ordered to stand to arms at 6.30pm, the order being cancelled at 7pm.

Come on Highlanders! Alec Weir. 2nd edition 2009. p76
For the rest of February the battalion continued a rotation between the relative safety of Pont Tournant and the front line at Givenchy. They had more hard work to do there on the trench systems, and the Germans, who had been stirred up by the raid, increased their shelling for the whole of the next fortnight. This resulted in a number of casualties, particularly on 26 February 1915, and by the end of the month five more Glasgow Highlanders had been killed, the cumulative total now being twenty.

Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette

6th March 1915: Glasgow Highlander Killed. The information was received at Bridge of Weir on Sunday last that Private Fred T. Barr of 'C' Company Glasgow, has been killed at the front. His death, it is understood, was caused by the collapse of a wall. Private Barr was a Glasgow man, educated at Glasgow Academy, was well known in Bridge of Weir. He was attracted to the profession of engineering and served his apprenticeship with Messrs Bow & McLachlan, Paisley, subsequently joining the staff of Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company. It was on the 7th September he enlisted for active service and at the beginning of November he left for the front along with his regiment.

29th May 1915 also 24th April 1915 & 14th August 1915: Private Fred T Barr C Company Glasgow Highlanders, who was killed at the front, was well known in Bridge of Weir. He served his apprenticeship with Messrs McLachlan & Co., Paisley. Enlisted 7th September 1914.

12th June 1915: Inventory of the estate of Fred T Barr, Rockcliffe, a private in the 9th HLI who was killed in action on the 25th February, has been lodged with the Sheriff Clerk, Paisley. It shows net estate value £3,202.10.9d.

Glasgow Herald:o 1st March 1915: Intimation of the death of Private Fred. T. Barr, of C company, Glasgow Highlanders, was received yesterday at Bridge of Weir. Mr Barr was a Glasgow man and was well known in the city. He was educated at Glasgow Academy, and, entering the engineering profession, served his apprenticeship with Messrs Bow & McLachlan, Paisley. Afterwards he was on the staff of the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering company. On September 7 he enlisted for active service, and he left for the front along with his regiment at the beginning of November. It is understood that Private Barr was killed by the collapse of a wall.

Glasgow Evening Times:o 1st March 1915: CITY TERRITORIALS. Glasgow Highlander Killed. A telegram was received yesterday at Bridge of Weir by his relatives intimating the death of Private Fred. T. Barr of C Company of the Glasgow Highlanders. Mr. Barr was a Glasgow man, and was educated at Glasgow Academy. He served his apprenticeship as an engineer with Messrs Bow and McLachlan, Paisley, afterwards joining the staff of the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company. He enlisted for active service on September 7, and left for the front with his regiment at the beginning of November. Although only scanty information has been received, it is understood that he was killed through the collapse of a wall.

Kilbarchan Cemetery Monumental Inscription: o Sacred to the memory of JAMES BARR who died at Rockcliff Bridge of Weir 28th July 1910 in his 67th year and his wife MARY TRAIN who died at Rockcliff Bridge of Weir 6th Sept. 1918 in her 67th year
and his sons Private FREDERIC TRAIN BARR C. Company Glasgow Highlanders killed in action in France 25th February 1915 in his 27th year. 2nd Lieutenant JOHN LYLE BARR 159th Brigade Royal Field Artillery died of wounds at Abbeville France 26th July 1916 in his 27th year. Capt. WILLIAM SPEIRS BARR 18th Highland Light Infantry died of wounds at Sorel-le-Grand France 23rd May 1917 in his 23rd year.